Former Springbok coach Nick Mallett has expressed his regret at the worrying trend troubling the game in his native South Africa.

Mallett, who was forced to resign as national coach in September 2000 in a row over the South African RFU's ticket policy, has questioned the increasing amount of South African rugby talent moving abroad.

"The drain of rugby talent, playing and coaching, from South Africa has accelerated in the last two years and more will want to go after next year's World Cup.

"However, there aren't enough places for non-European qualified players at the top clubs and the Springbok guys will be competing with players from New Zealand and Australia," he told the Evening Standard.

"I find the total of 23 South African players (see list right) now playing outside the country incredible. I thought it was nearer 10 than 20 and we're talking about guys like Percy Montgomery, Andre Vos and Mark Andrews who are still at an age when they could represent South Africa."

"I don't think the SARFU will ever change their mind over those players overseas," he added.

"They are trying to protect their Super 12 teams by keeping the players in the country and this ringfencing of the talent just isn't working anymore. The players are getting fed up with way rugby in South Africa is being run and the Super 12 tournament.

"They are not being well-coached and are getting smashed by the other teams and it's no fun.

"I was at Twickenham and knew that if the team weren't capable of beating Scotland then they weren't going to beat England.

"It was just a case of would they compete bravely and lose by 20 points or get hammered because they played stupidly. They chose the second option.

"That did hurt and I was very disappointed for the players, but what needs to happen is South African rugby administrators have to go.

" I realise they are well entrenched; voting for each other, same old pats on the back and same old incompetence and they are too scared to make the hard decisions needed to take South African rugby into the modern, professional era."

Mallett, now coach at Stade Francais, leads his new club into battle against Harlequins in the Parker Pen Cup this weekend and is wary of the strength of England's top flight.

"The standard of the Zurich Premiership is higher than the French championship," insisted Mallett, who played with Richmond before gaining two Springbok caps in 1984.

"By opting for 12 teams they have a tighter league and we know that Quins have not lost at home this season in a very competitive league.

"We're expecting a very hard match and will be bringing our strongest available side.

"The Parker Pen Challenge Cup has a much better format than the Heineken Cup where they're still using the pools system.

"We have Quins home and away, and we know if we win our next round will be against either London Wasps or Bordeaux-Begles and that adds to the interest.

"Teams like Wasps, Quins and Stade are performing better this season than those clubs in the Heineken Cup."

Ahead of the clash French captain Fabien Galthie has an Achilles injury while Pumas full-back Ignacia Corletto has been sent home to be with his seriously ill mother in Argentina.